1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to protective devices worn by a user and, more particularly, to devices especially adapted for protective the user's eyes and ears.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices worn by a user to protect the users eyes and ears are well known in the art. The eyes may need protection from air borne particles, and the ears may need protection from excessive noise. In this respect, throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to user-worn eye and ear protective devices, and the following U.S. patents are representative of some of those innovations: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,682,374, 4,856,089, 5,133,596, and 5,278,999.
More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,374 discloses a user-worn eye and ear protective device which discloses substantially straight connecting members between the eye protecting portions and the ear protecting portions. Because of the differences in dimensions between a person's eyes and a person's ears, it would be desirable if a user-worn eye and ear protective device which includes connecting members between the eye protecting portions and the ear protecting portions which had bends to accommodate the differences in distance between the user's eyes and the user's ears.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,089 discloses a user-worn eye and ear protective device in which the eye protection portions are connected to the ear protection portions by means of an overhead connection. The eye protection portions and the ear protection portions are not connected together with connecting members which extend along the sides of a user's head. Significant stability is achieved when eye protection portions and ear protection portions are connected together with connecting members which extend along the sides of a user's head. In this respect, it would be desirable if a user-worn eye and ear protective device were provided which includes connecting members which extend along the sides of a user's head.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,596 discloses a user-worn eye and ear protective device which has connecting members which extend along the sides of a user's head. More specifically, the ear protection portions are connected to the connecting members to the eye protection portions using a rider member and a slot in which the rider member rides. In this respect, the ear protection portions and the connecting members are essentially permanently attached to each other. If the ear protection portions need to be cleaned or replaced, it is a relatively difficult and time-consuming task to separate the ear protection portions from the connecting members. In view of the above, it would be desirable if a user-worn eye and ear protective device were provided in which the ear protection portions can easily be removed from and attached to the connecting members to the eye protection portions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,278,999 discloses a user-worn eye and ear protective device in which the connecting members between the eye protection portions and the ear protection portions are connected to the ear protection portions by means of hinge pins. As described above with respect to U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,596, it is a relatively difficult and time-consuming task to separate the ear protection portions from the connecting members when hinge pins are used to connected the ear protection portions and the connecting members to the eye protection portions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,573 may also be of interest for its disclosure of a user-worn eye protective device.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use a combination eye and ear protection apparatus, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a combination eye and ear protection apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) includes connecting members between the eye protecting portions and the ear protecting portions which have bends to accommodate the differences in distance between the user's eyes and the user's ears; (2) includes connecting members which extend along the sides of a user's head; and (3) provides ear protection portions which can easily be removed from and attached to the connecting members to the eye protection portions. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique combination eye and ear protection apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.